Control mechanism



Jan. 3 1950 A. HAKANSON GO-NTROL MEGHANISM .Filed Sept. 10, 1945 NM. Gm,

INVENTOR. ,4L/:PED HA/(AA/.YON

H 7' TOR/VE YS Patented Jan. 3, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTROL MECHANISM Alfred Hakanson, Alhambra, Calif.

Application September 10, 1945, Serial No. 615,373

9 Claims. (Cl. 19461) This invention relates to coin-selecting mechanisms and particularly to coin-selecting mechanisms for use in vending machines and the like. It provides a simple and rugged mechanism adapted to select and separate desired coins, and detect and reject slugs and the like, releasing a vending mechanism only when a proper coin is inserted.

A variety of coin-selecting mechanisms has been proposed heretofore, but many of them are too complicated or insuiciently rug-ged. There is a marked need for an inexpensive coin-selecting mechanism for use in penny vending machines and the like, where the income derived from an individual machine is relatively low. The apparatus of my invention supplies this need.

Basically, my invention contemplates a coinselecting mechanism having a swinging member containing a downwardly directed coin chute terminating in an open lower end. The chute member is hinged, for example, to a stationary frame, to swing the lopen end of the chute transverse to the face of a coin resting in its lower end. Means are provided for so swinging the chute member, together with a coin-supporting means for holding the coin in the bottom of the chute but movable to release the coin as the chute is swung with a coin in it and a stop operatively connected with the coin-supporting means for holding the swinging member except when the coin is resting against the coin-supporting means.

Preferably the stop is connected to and movable with the coin-supporting means. Thus the coin-supporting means may be in the form of a lever having an actuating end against which the coin rests, so that the lever is caused to turn on its axis by the swinging of the chute member containing the coin. In other words, the coin itself supplies contact between the chute member and the actuating end of the lever. The stop may be mounted on the other end of the lever, so that it moves out of the way of the means for swinging the swinging member when pressure is applied with a coin in the chute.

In my preferred mechanism a spacer is mountedy on or adjacent the coin chute opposite the actuating lever end, the space between the lever at rest and the spacer being defined accurately so that the mechanism is only actuated if a coin of proper diameter is resting in the end of vthe coin chute. Preferably the lever is held in xed relationship to the spacer by a spring.

It is desirable to provide a coin release means by which the lever may be actuated and moved 2 slightly away from the spacer when a customer wants his money back instead of the merchandise of the vending machine.

In order to avoid actuating the vending machine with slugs and the like, I prefer to mount ahead of the lower end of the coin chute one or more protective mechanisms for collecting or rejecting a variety of such bogus coins. Thus, my preferred device is provided with magnetic means for collecting and rejecting iron slugs and the like, a so-called washer catcher for catching and rejecting slugs with holes pierced in them, and a thin coin rejector in the form of a drop or trap through which coins of adequate thickness will not pass. In addition, the face of the coin chute should be so proportioned that coins of excessive size will not enter. Coins which are too small in diameter will not rest against the actuating end of the lever but will pass completely through the coin chute and be returned.

These and other aspects of my invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of my coin-selecting mechanism;v

Fig. 2 is a side view of the mechanism of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section through the mechanism taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section through the mechanism taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section through the lower end of the coin chute taken along the line 5-5 of` Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a side view of the swinging member of the apparatus containing the coin chute.

The coin selecting mechanism is adapted to be placed upright within a vending machine with a front flange I0 containing a, coin slot II exposed on the face of the machine. The coin slot is proportioned to admit a proper coin, say a penny, but so that a coin that is substantially larger or thicker will not enter. The front ilange I0 is formed integrally with and extends perpendicular to a main web IZA of the frame I2 oi! the apparatus. The main frame has an upright rear iiange I3 formed integrally with the web and parallel to the front ange on the same side of the web on the upper portion thereof.

A pin I4 passed through the upper portions of the two flanges supports a substantially horizontal hinge or journal I5 that is formed integrally with a swinging member I6. The swinging member has a downwardly directed chute I1 on its lower rear portion extending beyond the frame I2. The chute is rounded in its upper por- 3 tion and has two side walls defining a space slightly wider than the thickness of the appropriate coin, say a penny, and a rear wall I'IA. The lower end of the chute is open on both sides adjajacent a spacer I8 formed integrally with the main frame. Opposite the spacer is the actuatingl end I9 of a lever 20 that is supported on a pin 2|. The pin is the axis of the lever and extends transversevv toV the. major surfaces of .the coin chute, ifelits side walls, so that it is transverse to a coin IDU resting in the bottom of the coin chute against the spacer and the actuating,

end of the lever. A compression spring A holds the lever 20 in fixed relationshipzztothef spacer, but allows it to be moved.ascdescribed l below.

An upright leaf spring 22fastened to'. the rmain.l` frame at its lower portion bears against the swinging chute member and presses itagainst" chute' Toutwardly; from the-mainframe, is hinged tothemain framebetween the'raised portions 23;v` 24 by means of apin 2B. The lock-member h'asranupwardly:projecting'lever 2l' that passes between a. projection; 21A on" the` lower portion of `the chute member and-the :web of vthe main frame'so thatas'theY lower portionrof 'themember. 25'is pressedsufciently toward"theframe the chutemember is swungA outfrom theframe tward. a coin; box (not shown). The lock member' 254 adapted to be pressedtoward themain fr ame b'y the'locking mechanism. of 'the vending machine proper (not shown) or byother means pressinghorizontally toward the right (in Fig. 1)"against the lowerA portion ofV lock member.

. The-lockmemberlfcan not .bedepressedsui cientlytoward-...themain frameto iipoui;` the coin chute unless acoin of appropriate dimension is..restingin..the .bottom of. the` coin .chute-.between the leverfendylaand' thefspacei-IB. The horizontal distance 3 Olbetween.. .the keeper` vand therrear sideof= thelever.end.-l9 is.close1y..pro portioned to the dimensions of the penny |60 so that-.thelatterfis held= iii-the illustrated position as thepenny.drops-downthe chute. The front :portion of .thelevereendc I9.f(as viewed :in Figa 2) isenIargedsothat f itY is; closer to .the spacer, presentinga.. slanting surface I SA- (see Figf) -againsihwhich .the penny bears l.as the chute-flips out.- With .the pennylinfposition between :the lever .and the spacer, the 4.lever will be fswung out of the 'wayof .thememben 25l as thevlatter; is--pressed-` toward. the.. frame. Thus, the flower. end= of the leverf carriesa. stop `3| which is-moved out ofthe way-(tothe leftin-.Fig 2)./ as zthe upper end I9 'of the lever travels toward the-right pushed. by' the: penny which .in turn bears against the spacer I 8.-v Infother words, as -the .-:pennyy isswung outwardA by lthe chute it bears against lthe ,slanting-face YI 9A 4 and pushes it fout-*ofthe way, at the .same Ytimeniovingf the loweeL-end'yof the-rlever.- to .the left A so that the stop: :which the slower .-vend. of e the;` lever carries movesoutof the-way ofthe .endof the.-1ever 25. Assuming that yaproper.- coin, say the penny IIIII),` has been dropped into the coin slot and 4 traveled downwardly to lodge in the coin chute between the spacer and the lever end I9, the lower portion of the member 25 may be pressed in toward the main ange of the frame so that the coin chute ilips outwardly (toward the left in Fig. 1), whereupon the penny will drop into a coin box (not shown). If no coin is present in the end of the coin chute there is nothing to press.the actuating end.,of.thelever toward the rghtfso that the stop k3| on the bottom of the lever interferes with the swinging of the member 25. Since the lock member 25 interferes with the operation of the vending machine no merchandise can be withdrawn.

If fafcoimshould lodge in the bottom of the coin chute and the customer should change hisemindf-'andfwanta'his money back (for examplewhen there is no merchandise in the machine), he can obtain .rit by pressing the end 32 of a rod .33 which has a restricted longitudinal movement andv will'fpress the. lower end 3IA of the.lever 20 to .the right slightly, say a few thousandth's of an inch. 'I'his does not move the stop 3| `suiliciently topermit the member 25 tobe .pressedin'tol'lp out the coin chute, but does movethe actuatingend. I9 .of the lever to the right a few thousandths of an inch so that the coin .is no longer.. held .between the. spacer and .the lever. end and .drops. through a return chute-34 (andthenceoutsidefthe machine to the customer.4 Unlessthe end.I 33- of the rod is pressed., it. isheld. away from the leverby means ofaspring..

.To prevent robbery by. removingthe entire vending 'machinee from` its .-support, saythe column. in. a -subway` station; and` turning: rit upside downathecoinselecting mechanism is provided with a [gate :40 --hingedvat .its.-.top -to- Vthe main frame and disposed. below.A the .-coin chute at -the entrancecto ,a .coini gboxfor'; other -receptacle (not shown). If the entire vending machine is upended toshake.'the.coins out. this :gate 40 swings out and-sealsfthefnpassaga'fromithe coin box. It will 'bei'. observedthat :the :gate f 401I ishinged byzrpins .-'4 I ,Y 42 to :the main: frame.

Asehassbeeniobserved; acoin'which is physicallyl too'fsmall,` say` a1 dime, will` simply drop through therend ofthe coin chute'into the chute 34Cand 'thence Tbelreturned tofthecustomen A coinvthat is -too large; can not be -inserted in the coin slot II. However, therehremains to provide@ l for bogus coins`A of *magnetic material, washers-etc;` andvery thin `disks'of tin and the likefwhich arefsometimes introduced into vending machines. The-travel ofthe coin from the slot I I toth'e'chute I1-proper.takes place in a spacee Cdefined between the'swinging member and cthe web of 'the-frame (see Fig. Y3). The swinginggmember hasv a slanting raised. track Bfdirected' downwardly toward the coin ,chute proper' (see'Fig's. 3*andj6). A coin of'appropriatethickness rolls *downwardly4 on .this track to`the coin chute. However, the track. is. not pressed snug against" the flange of the main frame, being. held 'outpby`a raised stop.5I leaving `aslightspace 52 .between the track and the frame through which' verythin coinsor slugs ,will drop` outof the selecting. mechanism .and be returned to ,the customer.

The.-apparatusis provided :with a 'magnet 60 fastened on the end of-a leverl that is supported by.h a. pin..62 in. the.. swingingmember, ythis pin beingfparallel. Vtothe pin..V I Mbywhich the Aswinging member is attached to the main frame. The

5. magnet passes through a hole in the swinging member and is held in the path of the coin by means of a coil spring 64 which is under compression and is tted into a recess 63 in the upper portion of the swinging member (see Fig. 4). The lever is provided with a catch 66 which extends through an aperture in the swinging member and hooks over the upper edge of another aperture E'I in the web. If a disc of magnetic material is introduced into the c oin slot it is caught by the magnet, whereupon the machine is placed out of operation and the path for the coin is blocked until the member 25Vis pressed in suniciently to flip the magnet with respect to the swinging member, thus releasing the magnetic slug so that it drops out of the machine. It will be noted that the locking member 25 can be moved slightly, for example, by attempting to operate the associated vending mechanism, but without swinging the chute.

A washer catcher 'I0 is hinged to the same pin 62 which holds the magnet lever and lies over the magnet lever with two projections toward the path of the coin. The front projection II passes through a slot 1 IA in the swinging or chute member and serves as a slanting guide which turns the washer slightly so that it drops onto the rear member 12 which is a pin projecting into the path of the coin through an aperture 12A. Thus any washers are caught on the second pin 'I2 and must be released as described in the case of a magnetic slug.

To review the operation of the apparatus, a penny dropped in the coin slot will travel down the track over the ramp 50 into the coin chute and be suspended at that point by the spacer I8 and the lever end I9. If then the vending machine proper is actuated to push the bottom of the lock member 25 toward the web, the coin will push the lever 20 and move its stop 3I out of the path of the lock member, whereupon the coin chute will be swung substantially to the left (as viewed in Fig. 1), and the coin will be released to drop to the left of the assembly into a coin box or the like.

If the customer, after dropping the coin, wants his money back he may receive it by pushing the lrnob 32 of the coin release mechanism which will move the upper end I9 of the lever 120 slightly to the right (as viewed in Fig. 2) allowing the coin to drop into the return chute.

If no coin is lodged between the spacer I8 and the lever end I9, there is nothing to actuate the latter, so that the device remains locked and the chute cannot be swung completely away from the web.

If a too-small coin, say a dime, is dropped into the coin slot, it will roll into and drop through the coin chute and be returned.

A too-thin coin or a thin slug will not roll down the track but instead will drop through the space I into the coin return. A washer will roll down the ramp 50 until it is caught by the pin of the washer catcher. It will be held in this position but can be released by moving the locking member slightly. If a magnetic slug is introduced, it will be caught by the magnet and released as de- (sicribed in the case of a washer or other holed isc.

The coin-selecting mechanism described is adapted to be placed to the right of a bank of vending mechanisms. In operating the vending mechanism, a lever, pawl, rod, or cam, depending upon the type of machine, is caused to press against the bottom of the locking member (from me righi. as' viewed in Fig. 1): 'If a coin is in place, the chute will trip out and release the coin to the coin box and the vending mechanism will open. Otherwise the vending mechanism will re` I claim:

l. In a coin-selecting mechanism, the combination which comprises a swinging member containing a downwardly directed coin chute terminating in an open lower end, and hinged to swing the open end of the chute at right angles to theY face of a coin resting in the lower end, means for so swinging the chute member, a coin-supporting means for holding the coin in such position but movable to release the coin as the member is swung, and a stop operatively connected to the coin-supporting means which blocks movement of the means for swinging the swinging member except when the coin is resting on the coinsupporting means.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the coin-supporting means is a lever, one end of which supports the coin with the stop attached to the other end of the lever.

3. In a coin-selecting mechanism, the combination which comprises a swinging member containing a downwardly directed coin chute terminating in an open lower end, and hinged to swing the open end of the chute at right angles to the face of a coin resting in the lower end, means for so swinging the chute member, a coinsupporting means for holding the coin in such position but movable to release the coin as the member is swung with the coin in position, and a stop attached to the coin-supporting means and movable therewith and which blocks movement of the means for swinging the swinging member except when the coin is resting on the coin-supporting means.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which the coin-supporting means is a lever with an actuating end against which the coin rests, the actuating end having a face that slants inward to the coin chute in the direction in which it swings when it contains a coin, the stop being connected to the other end of the lever.

5. In a coin-selecting mechanism, the combination which comprises a swinging member containing a downwardly directed coin chute terminating in an open lower end with at least one side open to expose the edge of a coin resting in the chute, the swinging member being hinged to swing the open end of the chute at right angles to the face of such coin, means for so swinging the chute member, a lever with its axis at right angles to the coin face and having an actuating end adjacent the open side of the coin chute so that the coin rests against it, the other end of the lever having a stop which blocks movement of the means for swinging the swinging member except when the coin is resting against the actuating end.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 provided with a spring which holds the lever in coin-Supporting position but permits its movement when pressure is exerted by the swinging member through the coin against the actuating end.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the coin chute is open at both sides at its lower end and the appartus is provided with a spacer disposed on the opposite side of the open lower end of? theffchutefromr the:` actuating: end-sot` theI lever whemthee latter; is finv:its normal position,v the :aet'uatingffendubeingymovable away fromv the spacerswhen-,the-chuteiisswungwith afcoin in it.

8. In a coin-selecting?mechanism,v the combinationwhichfcompvises a-f swinging member containing.: a=downwardly directed `coin chute terminatingginnan :openulowerfendfwi-tlr at -least -one side open to expose the edge of acoin-Testing in the chute, the chute member being hinged to swing` zhe. open'fendnfvthenchute at right angles tothe'faceffof such-coin, means for-so-'swinging thetchutefmemberya 'lever withy its axis -at rightv angles to the` coinfface` and havingan actuating end adjacentthev open-side-of the coin chute -fso thatrthef-coinrestsagainst it, theother end of the I'leverhaving a-fstop which'blocks movement of-'thefmeans-for swinging the swinging -member exceptwhen the-.coin -isresting against the actuating-end; and coin-release Vmeansfor imparting' restrictedmovement to theactuating end of Fthe lever` to frelease-thefcoin' `without moving the'stop` to'the extent that it ceases to block the' movement of said means for swinging said swingingfmember.

9. `Inia vcoin-selecting mechanism, the-combinationfiwhichf:comprisesfna chute -member contain-- ing a downwardly `directedfcoin-chute termimating-'inf an open-1ower end withrat least one 8i sideopen tocexposehthe edgerofa,coin resting infithefchute, V,therchui'fe=;member being .hinged to swing the dipen end-tof thechute at right angles to-the face-fot fsuchtcoinY means for so swinging the chute member, aflever l.with its axis at right REFERENCES' CITED The following references are oirecord in the le of 'tln'srpatentn UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name- Date 392,037r Junghans Oct. 30, 1888 1;445;0115 I Gilesf Feb..13, l1923 2,133,453 Hobanf. Oct. 18, 1938 2,226,873 Paitzer eiif'al Dec. 31, 1940 2,230,566 -Hadanscn Feb; 4, 1941 

